Kathleen Beckman, artistic Director and Conductor for the Northern Duchess Symphony Orchestra (NY), has also guest conducted for The Sinfonia Bucuresti. A music educator in the Hyde Park School District, Ms. Beckman is a certified string and major ensemble adjudicator for NYSSMA, the Orchestra Director at FDR High School, and, since 2003, has consistently been selected for Who’s Who in American Education.

Nicholas Alexander Brown, currently Music Director of The Irving Fine Society Singers & Ensemble and Boston Unhinged Chamber Players, served as Assistant Conductor of the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra, Brandeis University Chorus & Chamber Choir and Boston Opera Collaborative. As a French Horn player, Mr. Brown is a member of the 215th Army Band. As a Baritone vocalist, he is a mermber of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

Stephen Czarkowski has served as a guest conductor with The National Symphony Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and The Berlin Airlift Orchestra. He holds Master of Music degrees in cello and conducting and is currently on the cello faculty of The Landon School, Holton Arms School Creative Center for the Arts, The Bullis School, Montgomery College and Shepherd University.

Thomas Taylor Dickey made his American debut at the age of sixteen conducting the premiere of his own three-movemnet symphony for wind ensemble. At 25, he made his international debut conducting the Bacau Philharmonic in Romania. Currently, he is prusuing a doctorate in orchestral conducting at the University of George where he serves as Assistant Conductor for the UGA Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras.

Timothy Dixon is Music Director of the West Shore Symphony Orchestra (PA), Director of Orchestral Activities at Messiah College (PA), and is a regular conductor of the Harrisburg Opera Association. Previously, he served as Conductor of the University of Iowa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Preucil School String Orchestra, the Middletown Youth Symphony (OH), and the Saginaw Bay Youth Orchestra (MI).

Paul Kim is Assistant Conductor for Peidmont Symphony Orchestra, Conductor of Rock Fabulous Orchestra with Eurythmics’ star Dave Stewart and Violinist for Roanoke Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, and McLean Orchestra. Composer of over twenty works, blending classical and popular genres, Mr Kim is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Orchestral Conducting at the Shenandoah Conservatory.

Leonardo Lebas, a native of Buenos Aires, who is currently working on his doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, recently received a UNESCO-Aschberg fellowship to work with Conservatorio de las Rosas composing music based on Mexican poems. Mr. Lebas studied composing and choral conducting at the Catholic University of Argentina and received his Master’s in orchestral conducting from Penn State University.

Marco A. Mejia, currently Music Director and Conductor for the Coronoa Symphony Orchestra (CA), a is also Director of Bands and Music for the Crystal Catherdral Schools and the Pastor of Worship Arts for First Baptist Church of Alhambra. Within the artistic community, he has served as Musical Director and Conductor for several theatre organizations

Michael Mishra is Professor and Director of Orchestral Studies at Southern Illinois Unversity Edwardsville. A frequent guest conductor in the Czech Republic, he has also appeared with orchestras in Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, Austria and South Korea. He has presented papers at Shostakovich conferences in Glasgow, Cambridge, and London.

Jamie Ratcliffe currently serves as Conductor for the Summer Chamber Orchestra and Reading Orchestra in Danbury, CT, as well as Conductor of the Summer Community Band in Darien, CT. She has previously served as Assistant Conductor for Troupers Light Opera and the American Chamber Orchestra, and as Director of Music Activities at Wesley United Methodist Chuch in Eugene, OR.

Patrick Valentino, presently serving as Director of Music & Liturgy at St. Margaret Mary Church in Westwood, MA, has served as Assistant Conductor of the Montclair and Westfield Symphony Orchestras, and guest conductor with the Monmouth Symphony. He has also coached ensembles in premiere performances in America, Europe & Russia.